By George Etakibuebu
The name, Dr Asue Ighodalo, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the September election in Edo State, rang loud and clear on Friday in Benin City at a symposium organised by the ALIGN MOVEMENT for youths in the state. The symposium had as theme: ‘Empowering youth participation in politics and decision making process’ held at the magnificent Thames Events Centre, along Sapele Road and was filled to the brim.
The event which was enlivened up by high metal and contemporary music, comedians, dancers and upcoming artists, also featured Dr Sam Amadi, a Policy Strategist, Law and Governance expert and Director of the Abuja School of Social and Political Thoughts as a guest speaker.
He engaged the gathering through zoom broadcast as he was unavoidably absent. He stressed the need for youths to be involved in politics and the process of decision making if they want to see any positive change in the way things are done politically.
The highpoint of the event came when it was the turn of Prof Chris Nwaokobia Jnr to address the packed hall. Taking the microphone, he announced: “I am speaking on ‘Strengthening youth participation in decision making: X-raying the issue of competence vis-a-vis zoning/power rotation in ensuring equity, justice and fair opportunity for development’, to which he got a thunderous ovation.
Nwaokobia who did justice to the topic, stressed that “There is no surer way for young people to be effective, efficient and effectual in the decision-making process but by engaging the entire socio-political value chain as active participants. Youths must be involved in the political process. Youths must learn to agonize less and organize more.
“Youths must rise above the banal fabrics of partisanship and eschew partisan obscurantism for the nobler values of building a society where competency, character, compassion, credibility and commitment to the common good denominate our politics.
“Young people must elect the pristine values of equity, fairness and justice over party loyalty and affiliation, as only a sense of belonging, inclusiveness, inclusion and mutual trust can guarantee peace and development,” a submission that elicited loud applause across the hall.
His expository delivery on competence, capacity, character, equity, fairness and justice resonated with the audience. There were intermittent loud shout of Asue Ighodalo!! But when he concluded by declaring his support for the boardroom guru, not based on party affiliation but strictly on the basis of competence, capacity, character, fairness, equity and justice, shouts of Asue Ighodalo rented the air just as he rallied support for him.
Nwaokobia declared: “You cannot be said to be truly Obidient when your main reason for supporting a candidate is partisanship, and when the chief reason for which he is ‘Your Guy’ is because of a political party.
“The greatest number of Obidients who supported Peter Obi in the 2022/23 campaign season were not members of the Labour Party, and still are not members of the party, so why the hypocrisy by some Obidients? Is partisanship the same as competency and capacity? Did they choose and vote for Peter Obi because of Labour Party? Why the present double face? Why?” Nwaokobia queried.
“I have chosen to align with the values that are eternal… Parties will die someday but the values of competency, capacity, capability, compassion, character and commitment to the common good, and the values that work for Justice, Equity, Fairness and Inclusion will remain pristine and eternal. Make the sublime choice today, and pursue it, for such is the pathway to greatness.”
And with that submission, he declared his backing for Asue Ighodalo to the admiration of all present at the symposium.
